How The Cult of Oatly Nearly Brought Down the Company
What too much of a good thing really looks like
Is it possible to drown in success? Can you do so well that the very demand that kept you in business strangles you?
The answer is yes, and much like drowning in chocolate, it’s not as fun as you’d imagine.
In 2016, Swedish oat milk company Oatly exploded into the US market and consumers went wild. Initially only providing their product to cafes, over-excited consumers started buying bottles directly from their baristas in secret under-the-table deals.
After Oatly started noticing the enormous appeal of their product in the States, they started shipping product from their European factory to US supermarkets to meet demand.
But they couldn’t ship them fast enough, and stores couldn’t keep them on the shelves for more than a few hours.
Slow and Steady
Oatly’s original strategy was to test the US market by introducing oat milk to customers slowly through their local, trusted barista.
They hoped that eventually demand would increase and they’d…
